AWiBers and guests gathered at the Hilton on September 5, 2024, at 5 PM for the much-awaited return of AWiB’s monthly event titled “AI Impacting the Creative Industry” after a month’s break in August. The evening was chilly, yet members and friends warmly reunited and engaged in discussions on the timely and relevant topic of Artificial Intelligence.

Over 150 members, including women, men, and guests, initiated networking in groups, forming circles as the networking session commenced. The evening’s Emerge Sponsors were Chapa Financial Technologies – Connecting Ethiopia to the Global Economy, Kuriftu – When True Beauty Has No Measure, Amhara Bank – Beyond Financing. The evening’s Connect Sponsors were Tilla Africa – Wise Beauty, and iCog – Democratizing Technology. Sponsors had the opportunity to present their products at the event and speak about their brands to the audience. Members who owned businesses also showcased their products and services, providing a brief introduction to what they do.

The moderator, Dagmawi Bedilu, a strategic thinker, tech & innovation consultant, and community builder, initiated the discussion by warmly introducing the talking points and the profiles of the speakers. Bekele Mekonnen, a contemporary visual artist, poet, and educator. Bekele serves as an associate professor of fine arts at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design and is the Director of the Modern Art Museum Gebre-kristos Desta Center, both under Addis Ababa University.

Dagmawi then introduced the speaker, Jemberu Demeke, a prominent figure in Ethiopian hip-hop, blending his musical talents with a strong background in software engineering, having graduated from Addis Ababa Science and Technology University. Jemberu’s music, deeply rooted in Ethiopian culture, illustrates the fusion of tradition and innovation, particularly evident in tracks like “I Faram Gamme” and his latest album “Esatu-Se.”

Bekele, the first speaker, commenced by narrating a story about past technological developments and how they altered human interactions. He discussed how technological breakthroughs such as the camera have impacted the creativity sector, emphasizing that humans can still devise innovative solutions.

Acknowledging that certain jobs may be at risk due to AI, Bekele underscored the fact that technology has consistently altered job dynamics. He referenced a historical instance when the discovery of photography caused anxiety among sketch artists about job security. However, he highlighted how this phenomenon drives individuals to seek meaningful work where they can contribute alongside AI’s existence.

Bekele emphasized that despite the rapid global development of AI, the human brain retains the capacity to create surpassing innovations. He stressed the exponential growth and significant advancements brought about by technological progress, while also cautioning about the challenges of AI and the necessity of responsible and human-centered development.

Jemberu Demeke, the second speaker, began by highlighting the significance of technology and shared his personal experience of using AI to produce sample music, evaluating AI’s intelligence. He discussed his active utilization of AI in music recording and production, expressing amazement at AI’s ability to mimic artists and produce realistic Ethiopian music upon request.

Jemberu elaborated on the role of technology in facilitating human endeavors, noting that while AI is a powerful tool relied upon for tasks ranging from music creation to report writing, it still falls short of human intelligence as it depends on global databases. To mitigate future impacts on upcoming generations, he emphasized the need for greater efforts in Ethiopia.

Exploring how AI-based creative works risk diluting the human element in art, Jemberu emphasized the uniqueness of human artistry, which incorporates personal emotions and experiences into creative outputs. While acknowledging the inevitable presence of AI and its potential benefits, he stressed the importance of maintaining a balance between technological advancements and preserving the humanistic aspect of creativity.

During the Q&A session, the audience raised concerns regarding the control AI might exert over individuals, its impact on education and social interactions. The presenters advocated for striking a balance between AI and creativity, noting AI’s prowess in data collection and its necessity for regulation and responsible usage.

The speakers emphasized that human experiences and emotions enhance creativity in ways AI cannot replicate. They highlighted the pivotal role families play in nurturing children, spending quality time with them, and teaching them to harmonize technology with creativity. Additionally, as a society, understanding how to responsibly utilize AI was deemed crucial.

Dagmawi summarized the key points raised by both speakers and concluded by underscoring the importance of modernizing existing creations while aligning technological advancements with the cultural context and realities on the ground in Ethiopia and Africa.

As the event came to a close, AWiB extended HER gratitude to the speakers and moderator presenting them with special leather document holders from Kabana Leather.

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